Container Identification Bands Storage Device

ABSTRACT

A transportable device which stores identification bands used to identify one container from a group of similar containers. Identification bands can be removed from the storage device and placed on a container such as a water bottle or beverage can. The user can remove the identification band from the container and store the band on the device for future use.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a means for identifying onecontainer among a group of containers. More particularly, the presentinvention is a transportable device that stores identification bandsused to enable the user of a specific beverage to readily locate andretrieve the beverage from a group of beverages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Frequently at parties, meetings, gyms, family gatherings, amusementparks, school lunchrooms or playgrounds, sporting events and gatherings,around the house, or other business or social settings, there may bemore than one person consuming beverages in very similar or identicalcontainers, including glass or plastic bottles, mugs, cans, glasses,juice boxes, or any other widely used beverage container.

As a result, people drink from containers and bottles that are not theirown, often resulting in the spread of germs between two or more peopledrinking from the same container. Alternatively, people throw awaycontainers when they are unsure of the user of the container.

In order to address this concern, identification bands have beendeveloped to distinguish beverage containers. For example, U.S. PatentApplications 20060207132 (Vaughan), 20080210586 (Didio), 20090094870(Isserow), and 20090084701 (Isserow) describe stretchable, elastic bandsused to identify a drink container. Other bands such as rubber bands andhair bands have also been used to identify similar containers.

So far as known to Applicant, no beverage identification band patentedor developed provides a universal solution for the storage of the bands.

A need therefore exists for a convenient, practical, inexpensive, andappealing storage device for the container identification bands. A needalso exists for the device to be transportable or placed on arefrigerator or in a cooler so the identification bands can be near thedrink containers, thereby facilitating their use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided atransportable device which stores identification bands used to identifyone container from a group of containers. Identification bands can beremoved from the storage device and placed on a container such as awater bottle or beverage can. The user can remove the identificationband from the container and store the band on the device for future use.

It would be advantageous to provide a transportable device that storescontainer identification bands that enable an individual to identify onecontainer from a group of containers.

It would also be advantageous to provide a container identificationbands storage device that can be placed on a magnetically attractivesurface such as a refrigerator door.

It would further be advantageous to provide a container identificationbands storage device that is flexible.

It would further be advantageous to provide a container identificationbands storage device that is reusable and easy to use.

It would further be advantageous to provide a container identificationbands storage device that is waterproof and can be transported in acooler.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained byreference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunctionwith the subsequent, detailed description, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front side of the storage device inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a back side of the storage device inaccordance with the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a front side of the storage device withthe identification bands in accordance with the invention.

For purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components willbear the same designations and numbering throughout the Figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front side 14 of a storage device 10in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the back side 16 of a storage device 10in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a storage device 10 with theidentification bands 32 in accordance with the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a water-bottle shaped storage device 10 includesa magnet structure 12 and a one-piece, thin, body having three bodysections. The body includes a upper section 22, a middle section 20, anda lower section 18. The middle section 20 is indented from the uppersection 22 and the lower section 18 to contain the identification bands32 on the storage device 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, the magnet structure 12, includes a disk-shapedmagnet 24 and a circular, disk-shaped magnet cover 26. The magnetstructure 12 is coupled to the upper section 22 by placing the magnetcover 26 over the magnet 24 and adhering to the upper section 22 viaadhesive or the like. When the magnet structure 12 is coupled to theupper section 22, the storage device 10 can be placed and held on amagnetically attractive surface, such as a refrigerator side or door,cooler, or other, similar magnetizable surface.

The body of the storage device 10 and magnet cover 26 can be formed fromany suitable material, including but not limited to elastic, paper,rubber, leather, polypropylene, pvc, or other plastic material. The bodyof the storage device 10 is preferably flexible, however may be madefrom rigid material, as well. Still, the invention is not limited withregard to the specific material from which the body of the storagedevice 10 and the magnet cover 26 are formed.

The placement of designs, wherein the term “designs” means patterns,photos, personalization's, logos, website, advertising, or any indicia,on the storage device 10 may employ, but is not limited to, thefollowing methods: having designs printed on a display area uppersection 28 or a display area lower section 30, having the storage device10 made with the designs as an integral part of the manufacturingprocess, hand-drawing designs on the storage device 10 or having designstickers placed on the storage device 10. The designs may be placed onany fraction of the storage device 10 or on the entire storage device10.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention is notlimited to any specific size or shape. Instead, the exact size and shapeof the storage device 10 and the magnet 24 will depend upon a variety offactors including the elasticity of the identification bands 32, thethickness of the identification bands 32, and the size of the particulartype of container for which the identification bands 32 are designed.

The manner in which the storage device 10 is used is shown in FIG. 3.Identification bands 32 have been placed on the storage device 10 forfuture use. As used herein, the term identification band should beunderstood to include a range of bands that are placed on containers toidentify one container from other similar containers.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made only by way of illustration and may be subject to change ormodification. For example, the storage device 10 could be made withoutthe magnet 24, the magnet 24 could be placed anywhere on the body of thestorage device 10, or the magnet 24 could be an integral part of themanufacturing process. Furthermore, for example, the storage device 10could folded to store the bands within the cavity of the body or abottle opener could be incorporated with the body of the storage device10.

Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operatingrequirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in theart, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen forpurposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications whichdo not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of thisinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected byLetters Patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims.

1. A container identification bands storage device for storing containeridentification bands used to distinguish one container from another,comprising: means for storing identification bands used to distinguishone container from a group of similar containers.
 2. The containeridentification bands storage device in accordance with claim 1, whereinsaid means for storing identification bands used to distinguish onecontainer from a group of similar containers comprises a storage device.3. A container identification bands storage device for storing containeridentification bands used to distinguish one container from another,comprising: a storage device, for storing identification bands used todistinguish one container from a group of similar containers.
 4. Thecontainer identification bands storage device as recited in claim 3,further comprising: a magnet, for attaching the device to othermagnetically attractive objects such as refrigerators, coolers, etc. 5.The container identification bands storage device as recited in claim 3,wherein said storage device has characteristics selected from thefollowing group: has indentions, is flexible, and is transportable. 6.The container identification bands storage device as recited in claim 4,wherein said storage device has characteristics selected from thefollowing group: has indentions, is flexible, and is transportable.
 7. Acontainer identification bands storage device for storing containeridentification bands used to distinguish one container from another,comprising: a magnet, for attaching the device to other magneticallyattractive objects such as refrigerators, coolers, etc; and a hasindentions, is flexible, is transportable storage device, for storingidentification bands used to distinguish one container from a group ofsimilar containers.